Employer Overview
Apprenticeship is a demand-driven system. An employer hires an apprentice, and they sign a contract of apprenticeship with one another. Together, they then register with the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC).
As the key trainer of an apprentice, employers play a very important role in an apprenticeship system. For employers, apprenticeship makes good business sense. Training an apprentice means a better return on your investment.
Key findings
- For every $1 an employer invests on an apprentice, the average return is $1.47 across 21 trades.
- Revenue generated by an apprentice exceeds the total training costs.
- The net benefit of an apprentice in training increases each year over the course of the apprenticeship.
Hiring a local apprentice is less expensive than hiring from abroad. Temporary foreign workers cost $5K-$20K per person per year, whereas hiring an apprentice would increase net return by the second year.
Training an apprentice means more productivity and fewer mistakes. Apprentices are more loyal to the company, which increases retention. Apprenticeship creates a sustainable workforce cycle (senior employee passing on the knowledge to the apprentice). Employers estimate a “homegrown” journeyperson is 29% more productive than a journeyperson trained elsewhere.
Available tax credits and government grants makes training an apprentice more affordable.
Tax Credits for Employers
Deon Rademeyer, Kramer Ltd.
Recruiter & Journeyperson Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, Journeyperson Automotive Service Technician
“Retaining your personnel through having an apprenticeship program is of utter importance. Apprenticeship is a part of our business strategy and also a big part of my recruitment strategy. Recruitment is also part of retention, and how do you retain people? By giving them something they will not find at any other company and that is what we can do, especially if you bring them in as a brand new apprentice. You can make them so proud to work for you that they wouldn’t want to leave.”
Doug Christie, Christie Mechanical
Owner & Journeyperson Plumber
“I feel hiring apprentices is good for any business, as apprenticeship training results in journeypersons who add to overall quality, safety and productivity. There is also a standard of training provided, giving the employer confidence that a new employee has achieved a certain level of training that will meet or exceed the employer’s expectations.”
Jonathan Thauberger, Crave Kitchen + Wine Bar
Head Chef & Journeyperson Cook
“I know that it can be a challenging sacrifice to let your apprentice go for technical training, but at the end of the day, it benefits the next generation of cooks because we aren’t going to be here forever, and like any trade, we need to teach the skills to the next generation. The more involvement there is in the program by all – apprentices, instructors, employers – the better the cook program will become in Saskatchewan.”
Bryan Leier, Bennett Dunlop Ford
Bodyshop Manager & Journeyperson Motor Vehicle Body Repairer
“The apprenticeship model is rock solid. The adage here is that we prefer to grow our own. It adds more loyalty – your culture is pretty solid that way.”
Doug McCoy, Bennett Dunlop Ford
Production Manager & Journeyperson Automotive Service Technician
“The program provides timely technical training in conjunction with hands-on training. It accelerates career growth and development in the employees.”
Drew Tiefenbach, Alliance Energy
Manager, Special Projects Division & Journeyperson Electrician
“We owe our company’s success, in part, to the apprenticeship system. It provides us with a stable workforce, and we can take on more projects because we have a strong workforce available to us… The opportunities for apprentices to grow with a company after achieving journeyperson status are numerous.”
Rhonda Hipperson, Hipperson Construction
Vice President
“When I sit down with an individual to discuss employment, my interest is always peaked when I hear that he or she may want to apprentice as a carpenter. To me, it demonstrates a commitment to a future in our industry. They are looking to learn more advanced skills and they are interested in the trade. This makes them more valuable to us, and allows our company to offer that added value to our clients.”
